Appellation an das Publicum über die durch ein Kurf. Sächs Confiscationsrescript ihm beigemessenen atheistischen Aeusserungen. Eine Schrift, die man erst zu lesen bittet, ehe man sie confiscirt. (Appeal to the Public Concerning the Accusation of the Expression of Atheistic Opinions).

FICHTE, Johann Gottlieb.

Verlag: Christian Ernst Gabler, Jena und Leipzig, 1799

Beschreibung

FICHTE, Johann Gottlieb. Appellation an das Publicum über die durch ein Kurf. Sächs Confiscationsrescript ihm beigemessenen atheistischen Aeusserungen. Eine Schrift, die man erst zu lesen bittet, ehe man sie confiscirt. (Appeal to the Public Concerning the Accusation of the Expression of Atheistic Opinions). Christian Ernst Gabler, Jena und Leipzig, 1799. TP + [1]-116 (mis-paginated, the last four pages after page 110 are 113, 112, 113, 116), small Octavo. First Edition, Third Printing (Lauth/Jacob 40b; Baumgartner/Jacobs A1.40b x)A popular work that required three printings in the first year. This is the third -- most easily identified by the full spelling of Fichte's title ("ordentlichen Professors") on the title page rather than the abbreviation used in the first printing, ("ordentl. Prof.") along with the page count which reads 116 rather than the 118 of the first printing. [NOTE: The second issue was by a different printer, noting simply "Wohlfeile Auflage à 4 Ggr.") In 1798, an anonymous pamphlet accused Fichte of atheism after he published - in that same year - his essay "On the Ground of Our Belief in a Divine World-Governance." This was his response to Friedrich Karl Forberg's essay "Development of the Concept of Religion" in the Philosophical Journal. Forberg claimed that unbelievers could be moral if they acted as if an all-seeing and punishing God existed. In his brief essay, Fichte attempted to sketch some of his preliminary ideas on the philosophy of religion which had been partially formulated earlier in his Wissenschaftslehre (Doctrine of Science). Overall, Fichte characterized God as the living moral order of the world. The anonymous essay accused both Fichte and Forberg of atheism and called for Fichte's dismissal from his post at the University of Jena. In the wake of the dispute, many essays were published both for and against Fichte - including those by Goethe and Kant - as well this famous defense written by Fichte himself. Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi eventually published his famous open letter to Fichte, which saw the first use of the word "nihilism" and in which he equated philosophy in general and Fichte's transcendental philosophy in particular with "nihilism."This dispute caused the German authorities to suppress the original essay as well as threaten the University of Jena itself with closure. Fichte was forced to resign his position there - leading to ten years in the academic hinterlands before he was called to the University of Berlin in 1810. Original pale green printed wraps which are a bit worn and stained. There is a pencil signature (Medius (?)) to the right side of the title page. Beginning with page 9, the last four pages of each gathering are wider (approximately 5") than the first four (approximately 4"). The last four pages are misnumbered as noted scandals in Germany. ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 1141

Bibliografische Details

Titel: Appellation an das Publicum über die durch ...

Verlag: Christian Ernst Gabler, Jena und Leipzig

Erscheinungsdatum: 1799

Einband: Softcover

Auflage: FIRST EDITION, THIRD PRINTING.